More PP in OT, anyone?

I read this week that the NHL Competition Committee was just one vote shy of changing playoff OT to 4-on-4 (H/T to Puck Daddy). In the words of Wayne Campbell, "Are you mental?" In the playoffs, does the NFL play 10-on-10 in OT, or maybe resort to a field goal kicking contest? Does the NBA play 4-on-4? Does MLB put in coaches to toss batting-practice balls to the hitters? HELL NO! Only soccer (football, footie or futbol if you're reading this outside North America) resorts to penalty kicks, but that's merely a nod to the reality that futbol matches could literally go on for days before a goal is scored. Simply put, hockey ain't soccer.

Here's a radical idea for the Competition Committee: Guys, instead of focusing your efforts on bastardizing The Great Game, why not call on NHL Officials to call effin' penalties in OT the same way they do in the first effin' period? Ducks-Red Wings went to triple-OT the other night, and only ONE penalty was called in the first two overtimes? Seriously? Did the players really clean up their acts that much for OT? If you believe that, I've got an NHL franchise in the desert I'd like to sell you (sorry, 'Yotes fans - I couldn't resist).

If the refs, who have long held the opinion that "we don't want to decide the game", could understand that by not calling obvious penalties in OT, they are giving the guilty team an unfair advantage and potentially influencing the outcome of the game, while certainly prolonging said game, I think we would see more PP in OT, which would result in fewer multi-overtime games. Problem solved(though whether or not a "problem" even exists is debateable).

Take me back to On Goal Analysis